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Josh Woodworker Story

03-10-2007, 09:16 PM

Its about 5:30 and were done with work Last early summer, told one of the workers to finish putting the Ridgid 12' double compound miter saw w/stand (my baby) in the back of the trailer and strap it down and close up the tailer doors. The front of saw was on the back end of the trailer and the wheels were on the ground. About 15 minutes later walking straight at the front of the truck me and Dan (another worker), jumped into my truck and fired it up. I looked into my side mirrors and started to go, no problem. Went about 2 1/2 blocks and saw in my mirror my back door of tailer swinging out wards. Oh S!@! is what I said, pulled over slowly, jump out, went to the back and there's the saw hung up on a metal threshold on the rear, the two stub prongs (when folded up) grabbed ahold of the metal threshold and didn't let go, there are plastis caps or rubber and the threshold sawed right into them and held on. Amazing, couldn't believe it didn't wipe out. Then I got so pissed off and Dan started to laugh at me, which eased me some. I said to Dan you think that is so funny, why don't you grab the magnetic roller and start cleaning the street, bolts and washers all over. So I put the saw away and helped him clean up, funny thing was nails and screws were also on the edge and they didn't fall out. People driving by us thinking were stupid, honking and laughing. Then I took Dan out for a beer so he wouldn't be to mad at me, since this is not his fault. The next day, I left the saw at home went to the job site and told Neil (the punk) that I lost my saw because of him and that the saw was totaled out, and he better fork over $800.00. Told him your going to be using a hand saw until I can get a new one, this went on all day, we all used power saws and there's Nickie boy using a hand saw. Now its time to pack up so I finally told him the truth, boy he was relieved, he new I was pissed off at him all day and hardly said a word to him. If it wasn't for those two prongs and the metal threshold, my saw would have been wrecked. Told Neil if this happens again your ars is canned, wow did he come around since then, always paying attention and listening, one of the best workers I had. Now he is into computer programming. Thats my truthful story for Ridgid, Josh. Now can I have a calendar like the plumbers are getting? Even though this is wood working category. I think I got away from what I needed to say, is the wheels on the Ridgid stand stayed on and did what there designed to do, and that is to roll... Yes I know I should have checked out the trailer before I pulled out, thought everything was closed up, already did a hook up inspection before I told Neil to put away the saw, so It was my fault also, but no way in hell was I going to fess up to this in front of Neil, I got pride man...

Your story about Neil seems to be a pretty common one in my neck of the woods. The question I have is, at what point is enough enough? We can't get help, or at least anyone who can put two words together to form a sentence, and we are paying a minimum, of over $32.00 per hour for laborers. Guys mess up and the same guys seem to mess up continously. But, and here is the rub, these guys who mess up are excellent workers in other areas. Twice in one week a guy forgot to winterize the pumps on a 1,500 gal. water tank truck. His excuse is, "I must have been distracted." So the next day we have a crew waiting for four hours while the pumps are thawed. These are hydraulic water pumps which are operated by a diesel engine attached to a hydraulic pump and are very expensive to repair or replace. Fortunately nothing happened to the pumps. But twice at four hours each is eight hours, and that translates to about 500 feet of pipe not in the ground. When do you bring in upper management or owners and explain the problem? As a supervisor you are expected to handle problems but is this a problem for upper management? I don't know.

Bear in mind that I am not making it up when I say there is no help to be found. No one, it seems, wants the challenge of working in heavy construction. They get a little taste of -23F wind chill and they are gone. We can't find anyone who has the mindset of, "We are going to win. We are not going to let this cold/heat/mud/water, whatever beat us."

Tom

Comment

Everything that happens on the job site, may it be tool problems or workers is all on me and my check book, I'm the owner. I always try to make everyone feel at ease when I'm around, a scared kid "is" going to screw up. So I try very hard not to yell, especially in front of someone else. Nobody should ever be screamed at, no matter what happened, I have seen way too much of this in the past and what happens after someone gets their ars chewed out, I need to keep my workers, every minute their on the job is an investment on my part. I will certainly let them know when I'm disappointed, such as I made Neil use the hand saw all day, I thought that was pretty witty a little degrading but not over board, and it worked. Keeping them happy is what keeps them working for me. My biggest thing is, most kids (18 or older) around here do not like manual labor, they will work till its school time or they find a job in a chair or at least a warm building, so I do under stand you about laborers and cold weather, heck I hate it too, but I have bills to pay and mouths to feed, so I try not to get any down time. But if I don't get the bids then I have no choice but to go fishing...LOL... I've been on my own for quite some time now and only fired on person, he was hung over and fell asleep standing on a ladder 10ft. up, and thats for real! Couldn't believe it, sent him home and the next day told him he had to go, when he was more in his frame of mind, to top that off, he was going to school for ambulance driver and search and rescue, great start wouldn't you think, fell asleep on a ladder and can't fall off, go figure. And to this day he did what he said he was going to do, so one day I'll need that ambulance and hopefully he won't fall asleep at the wheel, just kidding I understand he's doing a great job... The End...LOL

Great Link for a Construction Owner/Tradesmen, and just say Garager sent you....